Mark Warner

This bill establishes a comprehensive federal framework for managing risks from advanced artificial intelligence systems, particularly "frontier" AI models with high-performance capabilities that could threaten national security, economic security, or public safety. It creates an Artificial Intelligence Safety Board within the Department of Commerce, staffed by government officials from Commerce, the NSA, CISA, Treasury, and NIST, along with nongovernmental experts in AI development and security, tasked with developing technical evaluation processes and security standards for testing frontier AI systems. Developers of frontier AI models must comply with mandatory safety evaluation standards adopted by the Secretary of Commerce, face civil penalties of up to $250,000 per violation for non-compliance, and must provide the Board access to their systems at least 45 days before public release. The bill also requires secure testing environments through partnerships with the NSA and Department of Energy and directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop standards and templates for managing risks from autonomous AI agents within 18 months. These requirements affect AI developers and researchers while establishing a structured government oversight process to address AI-related security and safety risks.

This bill requires the federal government to conduct specialized surveys of drug prices at non-retail pharmacies, such as mail-order and specialty pharmacies that dispense medications requiring special handling. The surveys would measure what these pharmacies actually pay for drugs to establish fair reimbursement rates for Medicaid, separate from the existing surveys of retail pharmacy prices. The legislation applies to specialty pharmacies that receive Medicaid payments and requires them to report pricing data to the government, with penalties for non-compliance. The bill appropriates nine million dollars annually starting in fiscal year 2027 to conduct these surveys, plus an additional five million dollars in 2027 for the Office of the Inspector General to oversee the data and study pricing variations. The requirement takes effect 18 months after the law is enacted, with new guidance on which pharmacies must participate expected by January 2028.

The STOP TICKS Act reauthorizes federal efforts to combat tick-borne diseases by expanding and extending two existing programs through 2030. The bill broadens the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group to include thirteen federal agencies across agriculture, environmental protection, and defense rather than just seven agencies focused on health, allowing for more coordinated prevention and research efforts. It increases funding for regional centers of excellence studying vector-borne diseases from ten million to twelve million dollars annually, and increases funding to help state and local health departments address vector-borne diseases from twenty million to twenty-one million dollars annually. These funding increases apply to fiscal years 2026 through 2030, replacing the previous authorization period that ended in 2025. The legislation aims to improve coordination across the federal government and provide greater resources for tick-borne disease research, surveillance, and prevention nationwide.

This bill adds alpha-gal, a sugar molecule found in certain animal products and red algae, to the federal definition of "major food allergens" that must be labeled on packaged foods. Alpha-gal is a protein compound that triggers allergic reactions in people with alpha-gal syndrome, a condition that develops after tick bites and causes reactions to red meat and certain other animal products. The legislation would require food manufacturers to clearly disclose alpha-gal on ingredient labels, similar to how they currently label common allergens like peanuts and shellfish. The new requirement would take effect 18 months after the bill becomes law, giving manufacturers time to update their labeling practices. This change would help people with alpha-gal allergies identify and avoid foods that could trigger dangerous reactions.

This bill establishes a public-private working group within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to develop voluntary cybersecurity best practices for telecommunications carriers and their suppliers. The working group will bring together federal agencies including CISA, NIST, and NSA alongside industry representatives from national carriers, regional and rural providers, equipment manufacturers, and state and local operators to create comprehensive practices covering incident response, security updates, device management, and multi-factor authentication within 18 months. These best practices will be published publicly on NTIA's website, though sensitive implementation details may be kept confidential and shared only with eligible entities. Adoption of the practices is entirely voluntary with no regulatory requirements or penalties for companies that choose not to implement them, and the recommendations will be reviewed and updated at least every two years to address evolving cybersecurity threats. The bill includes a standard severability clause ensuring that if any provision is found unconstitutional, the remainder of the law remains in effect.

The Health CARE Act of 2026 is a comprehensive healthcare reform bill that establishes a new federal health plan available through insurance exchanges starting in 2028 for uninsured individuals, expands Medicare's drug price negotiation program to cover 30 drugs by 2030 and 50 by 2032, and extends these negotiated prices to participating private insurance plans. The bill significantly increases price transparency requirements by mandating hospitals, clinical labs, imaging centers, ambulatory surgical centers, and health plans disclose detailed pricing information online by January 2027, with daily civil penalties up to $300 or more for non-compliance. It also strengthens patient protections by capping out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs at $2,000 annually starting in 2028, limiting insulin cost-sharing to $35 per month, requiring step therapy exception reviews within 72 hours, and establishing mandatory electronic prior authorization systems for Medicare Advantage plans by 2029. The bill modifies Medicaid funding formulas to provide enhanced federal matching during economic downturns and eliminates "spread pricing" practices where pharmacy benefit managers overcharge states for drugs. Finally, it expands Medicare coverage to include hearing aids and audiology services starting in 2028, with $370 million appropriated through 2036 for implementation, while authorizing open-ended funding for enforcement across the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services beginning in fiscal year 2027.

S. 5443, the Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act of 2026, establishes comprehensive cybersecurity requirements for healthcare providers and entities handling patient information, with strict enforcement mechanisms and financial incentives to improve data security. The bill requires all covered healthcare entities to conduct annual security assessments and audits, comply with tiered security standards developed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services within 18 months, and face civil penalties up to $5,000 per day plus criminal penalties for non-compliance. To encourage adoption of stronger cybersecurity practices, the bill provides $800 million for hospital incentive payments in 2029-2030 and creates Medicare payment reductions starting in 2031 for hospitals that fail to implement essential cybersecurity standards, with reductions escalating up to 1.5 percent by 2035 and hardship exemptions available for significant disruptions. The bill funds these oversight and enforcement activities through user fees capped at $40-50 million annually on covered entities and includes provisions allowing Medicare providers experiencing cybersecurity-related cash flow problems to request advance payments from the federal government.

The FAIRR Act amends federal financial oversight laws to address risks posed by artificial intelligence in the financial sector. The Financial Stability Oversight Council must coordinate with member agencies to research AI use by financial institutions, identify threats to financial system stability from AI technologies like deepfakes and autonomous agents, and submit a detailed report to Congress within 180 days with recommendations for regulatory gaps. The bill also requires the Securities and Exchange Commission to establish specific rules within 180 days that impose governance requirements on brokers, dealers, and other securities market participants regarding their use of AI systems, including testing, oversight, and monitoring procedures. Additionally, the legislation expands federal regulators' authority to oversee third-party AI service providers used by financial institutions and requires entities to notify regulators of new service relationships within 30 days. The bill includes no new direct funding but directs existing regulatory agencies to conduct research and rulemaking activities related to AI oversight in financial markets.

The MATCH IT Act of 2026 addresses a significant problem in the American healthcare system: patients are frequently not properly matched to their medical records, leading to medical errors, duplicated tests, and billions in unnecessary costs. Currently, patient matching rates can be as low as 80 percent within healthcare facilities, and there is no national standard for measuring or improving these rates. The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a uniform definition for patient match rates within 180 days and requires the National Coordinator to identify a minimum dataset needed to achieve 99.9 percent patient matching accuracy within the same timeframe. These standards would then be incorporated into health information technology certification requirements and, within two years, into Medicare program requirements for eligible providers. The bill also establishes a voluntary bonus incentive program allowing Medicare providers to receive payment adjustments for achieving high patient match rates of at least 90 percent, along with a confidential federal reporting system for tracking patient matching data. The legislation is supported by bipartisan sponsors and aims to protect patient safety and privacy while reducing the estimated $6.7 billion in annual costs to the healthcare system caused by patient misidentification.

The NO PROFIT Act prohibits anyone from trading in stocks, commodities, futures contracts, or similar financial instruments while possessing nonpublic information obtained early from social media accounts controlled by government officials, their families, or federal agencies. The law applies to a broad range of government employees including the President, Vice President, members of Congress, federal workers, judges, and military members, as well as their immediate family members for up to 180 days after leaving office. The bill also prohibits social media platforms from offering early or preferential access to posts from these government-controlled accounts, with civil penalties equal to all revenue a platform receives from providing such preferential access. The Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission must jointly issue rules to enforce the law within 180 days of enactment. This legislation aims to prevent insider trading based on advance knowledge of government officials' public statements before they are released to the general public.

The RECOVER PII Act extends identity protection benefits for individuals affected by data breaches at federal agencies, specifically addressing fallout from past incidents like the 2015 Office of Personnel Management hack. The bill amends existing law to make identity protection coverage permanent for affected individuals rather than expiring in 2026, and increases the minimum identity theft insurance requirement to at least five million dollars per person. The legislation also allows federal agencies to reimburse their employees and contractors for the full cost of privacy-enhancing services like security software or technical tools that help protect personal information. Starting in fiscal year 2026 and beyond, agencies can use their existing budget appropriations for salaries and expenses to fund these reimbursements, provided employees submit documentation of their costs.

The PHD Talent Act of 2026 directs the Department of Energy to create a five-year pilot program that funds accelerated doctoral programs at universities in critical technology fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, clean energy, and semiconductors. The program, which must be established within one year of enactment, will provide grants to colleges and universities that partner with National Laboratories, federal agencies, and industry to help students complete doctoral degrees at least one year faster than normal while maintaining academic standards and providing dual expertise in both their field and advanced computational methods. Eligible students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and participating institutions must cover at least three years of funding for students in integrated bachelor-to-doctorate pathways while providing mentorship, professional development, and research rotations. The bill authorizes $250 million in funding from fiscal years 2028 through 2032 and requires the Department of Energy to submit annual reports to Congress tracking student progress and program outcomes. The program automatically expires five years after the first grant is awarded unless Congress authorizes its continuation.

The AI AGENT Act of 2026 would let users hire software agents to manage their accounts on large online platforms like social media sites and shopping services. These "custodial user agents" would be authorized to handle tasks like making purchases, posting content, and adjusting settings on a user's behalf, similar to how someone might hire a personal assistant. Large online platforms with over 50 million U.S. users would be required to provide open interfaces allowing these agents to access accounts on equal terms as the user themselves. The bill creates registration and oversight through the Federal Trade Commission, with rules requiring agents to protect user data, act in the user's interest, and avoid using personal information for profit or advertising. The FTC must establish authentication procedures within 180 days and finalize full regulations within one year, with help from other financial regulators and the National Institute of Standards and Technology developing technical standards. Violations would be treated as unfair or deceptive business practices under existing FTC authority, with potential fines calculated per affected user.

# Summary of S. 5055, National Workforce Transition Fund Act of 2026 This bill establishes a National Workforce Transition Fund and Board to help workers and employers adapt to job losses and disruptions caused by artificial intelligence and emerging technology. The legislation creates a $3 billion fund (through tax changes on AI data centers) and establishes a new National Workforce Transition Board led by the Labor, Education, and Commerce Secretaries, with equal representation from business, labor organizations, and government agencies. The fund supports four main activities: modernizing labor market information systems to track AI-related job disruptions; providing workers with training, education, and transition assistance through individual training accounts and credential programs; offering grants to employers for worker retention and redeployment efforts; and piloting innovative support programs like wage insurance and apprenticeships. Workers don't need to prove that AI specifically caused their job loss to receive assistance; eligibility is based on labor market indicators like unemployment claims and wage trends. The bill is funded by eliminating a tax depreciation benefit for AI data centers and transferring the resulting revenue to the fund. All programs and authorities sunset after five years, at which point Congress will review whether to extend them based on labor market conditions. The Secretary of Labor must report to Congress on program effectiveness, worker outcomes, and employer participation.

This bill prohibits federal agencies from using or purchasing artificial intelligence models that fail to meet safety standards designed to prevent the generation of child sexual abuse material and non-consensual intimate images. Within 180 days of enactment, federal agencies and their contractors must remove any AI models that don't comply with these standards from their systems, and the General Services Administration must establish ongoing review processes to identify problematic AI models at least every 90 days. The legislation also establishes performance benchmarks through the National Institute of Standards and Technology and creates a private right of action allowing individuals harmed by unsafe AI systems to sue developers and others who circumvent safety controls, with potential damages of up to $50,000 or treble damages for repeated violations. The bill gives vendors an opportunity to modify unsafe AI models to bring them into compliance before federal agencies must remove them, and allows agencies to implement additional safeguards if vendors cannot make the necessary modifications.

# Summary of S. 5061: Secure A.I. Development Act of 2026 This legislation establishes a comprehensive federal framework for monitoring and securing artificial intelligence systems before they are released to the public. The bill creates an Artificial Intelligence Risk Board within the National Institute of Standards and Technology that will develop technical evaluations and best practices for frontier AI models—those with advanced capabilities that could pose risks to national security, the economy, or public safety. Companies must provide the National Security Agency with access to frontier AI models at least 21 days before public release, and must register these models in a government registry. The bill also establishes a voluntary database for reporting AI security and safety incidents, allowing companies, researchers, and civil society groups to anonymously report problems while maintaining confidentiality protections. Additionally, it directs federal agencies to update their cybersecurity vulnerability tracking systems to accommodate AI-related vulnerabilities, which are expected to increase significantly. The legislation includes a three-year pilot program allowing the National Security Agency to share classified threat intelligence with AI developers working on federal contracts, helping them protect against foreign espionage and sabotage. Companies that violate the requirement to provide pre-release access to frontier models face fines of at least $100,000 per day, though they have seven days to comply after receiving notice. The bill requires implementation within 90 to 180 days for most provisions.

This bill makes two major changes to how artificial intelligence data centers are treated. First, it removes tax breaks that allow AI data centers to claim bonus depreciation on their equipment and facilities, though it creates an exception for data centers that meet strict environmental standards under the LEED Green Building Rating System. Second, it requires large data centers using at least 25 megawatts of power to disclose detailed information about their electricity consumption, water usage, backup power systems, and environmental impact to federal agencies and state governments. Data center operators must submit initial disclosures before starting operations and then provide annual reports by December 31st each year, with penalties up to $100,000 per day for knowing violations. States can choose to receive these reports directly and compile them for the federal government, and the data will be made public on websites run by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency. The bill explicitly prevents data centers from using confidentiality agreements to hide this information from regulators or the public.

This bill requires Medicare Advantage insurance plans to report detailed information about supplemental benefits they offer to Medicare enrollees, starting in 2029. The data Medicare Advantage organizations must submit includes what supplemental benefits are available, who qualifies for them, how often they are used, and how much the plans and enrollees spend on them. Within two years of collecting this data, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must make it available to researchers and the public in a de-identified format to support program evaluation and health research. The legislation protects enrollee privacy by requiring safeguards on individually identifiable information. The bill appropriates $12 million in funding for fiscal year 2026 to implement these transparency requirements.